


Blinded (FebuWhump 18)

by SylvanFreckles



Series: Freckles' FebuWhump 2021 [18]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: "i can't see", Burns, Febuwhump, Gen, Temporary Blindness, blinded - Freeform, chemical burns, hurt robin, robin still likes books
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29646534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SylvanFreckles/pseuds/SylvanFreckles
Summary: When a renegade noble tries to blind Chrom with a caustic liquid, Robin steps in to protect his friend.
Relationships: Chrom & My Unit | Reflet | Robin, Liz | Lissa & Maribelle
Series: Freckles' FebuWhump 2021 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139234
Kudos: 14
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	Blinded (FebuWhump 18)

Robin let his gaze travel around the room as Chrom made his plea for support to Lord Rasmir. Three of the noble houses of Ylisse had yet to acknowledge his friend's right to the title of Exalt, and Chrom was trying to win them over with diplomacy before his public coronation. He didn't need the support of all the noble houses, but presenting a unified government so soon after the war with Plegia would be good for the people.

Unfortunately, Lord Rasmir didn't seem to agree. He hadn't been outright disrespectful, but Chrom and his delegation had been brought in while the lord was holding a dinner party, and had been left standing in front of the high table rather than invited to join. Rasmir himself seemed to be listening to Chrom, although his slouched posture showed a lack of interest, and he toyed with the wine glass in front of him rather than drinking from it. Most of his guests ignored the royal delegation altogether, carrying on with their own conversations despite the Exalt's presence.

Rasmir picked up his wine glass, seemed to reconsider, and set it back down in favor of running his fingers down the cheek of the young woman sitting to his left, curling a lock of her blonde hair around his finger. “House Rasmir has always supported the Exalt,” he finally said.

“You have always pledged support,” Chrom agreed diplomatically. “I am only asking for a public gesture—for your formal attendance to the coronation in two weeks.”

The lord's eyebrow twitched. It was such a small, understated gesture that Robin wasn't sure he would have noticed it if he hadn't been looking. Rasmir lifted his wine glass, his lips twisting into a sardonic grin. “Then I propose a toast: to the reign of the Exalt. May he live long enough to see it.”

Robin saw the movement a heartbeat before it happened. Instead of drinking, Rasmir flicked his wrist to dash the wine over Chrom's face and chest. Robin leaped in front of his friend to try to wrestle the wine glass away from the lord, seeking to at least save his friend the humiliation intended by the insult, but he only succeeded in turning himself into the target. Dark red wine seeped into his hair and clothes and ran down his face and neck...and then it started to burn.

“Robin!” Chrom caught him from behind when his legs gave out. “Shepherds, to me!”

He could hear their friends charging, intent on protecting their Exalt and tactician, but there was the sudden ring of steel-on-leather echoing throughout the room around them. Robin tried to pry his eyes open to see what was going on, but whatever had been in the wine glass burned against his eyelids and the world around him was reduced to shadows.

“Is this a coup, Rasmir?” Chrom demanded angrily. His body was taught with rage, and Robin could feel the subtle shift in his friend's body as Chrom prepared to join the defense.

“When a wounded lion walks into your camp, you'd be a fool to let it walk out again,” Rasmir taunted. “Did you really think you could just take the throne, after everything your family has done?”

“Maribelle,” Chrom called as he shifted, dragging Robin to his feet. “Take Robin and my sister and find someplace to hide. Keep them safe until it's over.”

Lissa started to protest, but Robin found himself suddenly thrust against her as Chrom spun around, then the ring of steel against steel as the prince blocked a blow meant for them. “Now!”

“Come along, dearest,” Maribelle was on Robin's other side, pulling his arm over her shoulder. “Chrom's right: we have to get you out of here.”

The princess didn't argue further, and Robin found himself supported between the two young women as they fled the scene of battle. The liquid on his face burned, trickling in fiery lines down his neck and chest. He wanted to dig at it, to scrape it off of his skin, anything to stop the horrifying burning.

“Here, I'll try this one,” Lissa panted and slipped away from them. With one arm free, Robin dragged his hand up to dig at his eyes. It was worse than the time he'd rubbed his eye after helping cut hot peppers for the evening meal, but it was all over his face this time, and the tips of his fingers were starting to burn.

“No, Robin, don't touch it,” Lissa gasped, pulling his hand away from his face. “Here, I got it open.”

“Excellent, Lissa,” Maribelle sounded breathless as they half-carried Robin into the room. It smelled of clean wood and water, and the women gently set him down against the interior wall before setting off for their own tasks.

There was the heavy sound of the door closing, then the scraping of something heavy against the floor, and a splash of water.

“That should hold it, at least for a while,” Lissa's voice was strained with worried. “Do you think the others...”

“They'll be fine.” Maribelle was back at Robin's side, and he heard her shifting around before the delicate touch of a damp handkerchief was brushing over his face. “Dear heart, is there a bucket? We have to wash this off of him.”

“Mmm...there's a big bowl...I don't think they store much more than the water barrels in here.”

“That would be perfect. Yes, Robin, it's all right. I'm sorry it hurts so much.”

For all her airs, Maribelle actually had a kind bedside manner. She clasped Robin's hand in one of her own and dabbed at his face with the other.

“He's bleeding,” Lissa siaid worriedly. She'd taken Robin's other hand between both of hers, and he thought it was as much for her comfort as his.

“It was some kind of acid or poison,” Maribelle replied. “Miriel can tell us more; she's made a study of such things. Do you have a handkerchief, dearest? No, just hand it to me...you need to keep him calm.”

Robin tried to say he didn't need to be kept calm, but his voice came out as a whimper. Lissa squeezed his hand and scooted closer. She sniffed, and a splash of water landed on the back of his hand.

He tried again. “Liss...”

“I know,” Lissa sniffed, pulling one hand away for a moment, probably to wipe at her own eyes. “I just don't want to lose any of our friends.”

“We won't,” Maribelle replied, her voice ringing with sincerity. “Not in here, and not out there. Lissa, I'm so sorry, could you bring me some clean water? See how it's getting stained? I don't want to risk further contamination.”

It seemed to carry on for hours. Maribelle asked for clean water frequently, but though her ministrations were putting an end to the spread of the acidic burning nothing was easing the pain of the affected areas. Eventually the women worked together to shift Robin's head into Maribelle's lap, which was at least more comfortable than the floor, though the pain on his face and neck was started to drain his strength. She'd resorted to just covering the burned areas with cool, damp handkerchiefs in an effort to at least draw some of the heat out.

“ _Lissa?_ ”

Lissa gasped. “It's Chrom!”

Robin felt the air shift as she leaped to her feet, then some uncertain sounds like something heavy being shoved around on the floor. “Chrom!”

“Are you all right?” Chrom's strong, familiar voice made something inside Robin relax a little. He hadn't realized how worried he'd been until now.

“We weren't harmed, but it's bad,” Lissa explained. “That stuff, it burned him...he can't see, Chrom.”

Chrom knelt next to them—his friend's presence always familiar, even when he couldn't see him. “Miriel and Stahl are searching the manor for whatever was in that glass. We'll find a cure, my friend.”

Robin nodded, though the movement sent a sharp pain through his head.

Of course they'd find a cure. How hard could it be?

* * *

“It's not as easy as it sounds,” Miriel explained. “We neutralized the acid itself, but there was extensive damage. Regeneration potions or spells are still mostly experimental.”

Chrom let out a sigh and dragged a hand over his face. “Are you saying it's permanent?”

“No, of course not,” Miriel adjusted her glasses. “The damage to Sir Robin's eyes, while extensive, did not result in the loss of his vision. That's due to the inflammation of the surrounding tissue. We're searching for a way to ameliorate his body's natural recovery, but he will recover with or without our help. It will just take time.”

Another sigh, this one of relief. “Have you told him?”

The mage nodded. “He seemed in high spirits when I left his rooms. Now, if you'll excuse me, Your Highness, I must return to this current set of experiments.”

Chrom waved her away, watching for a moment as she bent over a rack of phials with two of the palace's healers and the herbalist from Ferox. At least it was basically good news...he would have hated Robin to face such a challenge permanently, though he was confident his friend would have overcome it. 

They'd put Robin in a room close to the healer's workrooms, and Chrom made his way there next. Rasmir's attempted coup had caused more problems within the council, and he'd had to spend most of his time on his return in meetings with advisors, governors, or other lords to convince them Ylisse was not on the point of revolt. He finally had a few hours free now, and was determined to spend some time sitting with his convalescing friend.

“Hello, Chrom,” Robin greeted him as soon as he entered the door. The tactician had a length of clean bandage wrapped around his eyes, to protect the irritated skin beneath, but he still followed Chrom's progress through the room as though he could see him.

“How did you know it was me?” Chrom asked with a smile.

“I'm developing more acute senses due to the loss of my vision.”

Chrom stared for a moment, mind whirling through the possibilities, then Robin was doubled over laughing.

“I wish I could see the look on your face,” he wheezed. “You all sound different when you walk; as long as I pay attention I can usually guess. I do it all the time when I'm reading, you just never notice.”

“Very funny,” Chrom teased, settling into the chair next to the bed. “How are you feeling?”

Robin shrugged, raised a hand to pick at the bandages on his face, but pulled it back down when he realized what he was doing. “A little impatient to be well, I suppose.”

Guilt twisted in Chrom's chest. “Robin, I...”

“Don't,” his friend turned to face him, a grim smile on his face. “Chrom, do you really think I regret this? That I could regret saving you, even if it meant it hit me?” he gestured toward his eyes, and Chrom winced. Robin hadn't come out of this without a few scars, though they would fade with time. Patches of skin on his face were rough and irregular where the acid had burned too deeply. There were salves and treatments that could help with scar tissue, but they had to wait until Robin's eyes healed.

“So...is there anything I can do?” Chrom asked awkwardly. Robin's face brightened, and he pulled a thick volume out from under his blankets and held it out to Chrom. The prince laughed as he took the heavy book. “Why were you hiding this?”

“Lissa thought I needed to focus on something 'more cheerful' for my recover,” Robin said sourly. “But this one looked really interesting, and I haven't found anyone to read it to me.”

Robin had obviously taken this book from the palace library before their visit to Lord Rasmir, though how he'd smuggled it into his sick room Chrom would never know. “Well...” Chrom teased, gently thumbing through the rough pages. Gods, this one was old...they'd both fall asleep while he was reading it.

“Please?”

Chrom laughed, turning back to the first page. “All right... _The Tactics of War Mage Tychius_ , chapter one. 'In the course of my years serving in the high court of...'.”

**Author's Note:**

> Real talk, Robin was probably carrying that book with him the entire time. You never know when you might get the chance to read!


End file.
